We have seen His Star

“Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and are come to worship him.”  Matthew 2:2

From this one portion scripture we have great prophetic fulfillment. 

• From Numbers 24 we read A star shall come forth from Jacob, A scepter shall rise from Israel. 
• From Isaiah 9 The people who walk in darkness will see a great light, Those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.
• From Luke 1 Zachariah prophesies that Jesus appears to give light to those that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the way of peace. 
• From John 1 we find that John was not the light but was sent first to bear witness of the true light which lights every man that comes into the world. 

As the Bright morning Star, Jesus is the light of the world who shines into the darkness and the darkness does not and never will overpower His light.  While Isaiah tells us in the last days darkness will abound the promise to us is His light shines forever!  The glory of the lord is seen upon us and men are drawn to His light.  

Where is He that is born King of the Jews? He is in us. As carriers of the presence we are children of the Light.  To shine as He shines.  To love as He loves.  To give from the very essence of His heart and always dispelling the darkness whenever we can. 

We have seen His star and worship Him.  In this Season may others see His light in the reflection of our lives.  

David and I trust this Christmas is one that brings your great rest and peace in Him as you celebrate with family and friends. 

Merry Christmas with Love,

Jeanne

The Prince of Peace

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.   Isaiah 9:6    KJV

The Christmas season is a time to reflect on the gift of God to the world. Like communion, we celebrate Christmas in remembrance of Him.  Allowing Christmas to become a season filled with pressure and anxiety governed by human expectations, real and perceived, is to fall short of the miracle God has given to us in Jesus. 

Peace is not just tranquility, it is the result of being one with Him.  It is wholeness, the prosperity of spirit, soul and body which He has provided in the redemption of our lives.  It is absolute well being, and is always and only found in Him.  

He is the Prince of Peace. 

Jesus speaks to the storms of our soul and says, “Peace be still.”

Jesus reminds us to come to Him when we are weary and heavy burdened because He gives us rest for our souls. 

Jesus is the good Shepherd who leads us to quiet waters of rest and green pastures that restores our souls.  

In all our celebrating, we are remembering how our lives have been so richly and abundantly blessed through our relationship through Jesus with the Father. It is this position of thankfulness that opens our hearts to freely and cheerfully give.  To share from the abundance of our lives in blessing others is the true spirit of Christmas and the character of God.  Therefore, we like our Father, love to give. 

However when giving becomes an obligation and we operate from a place of pressure,  grudgingly doing the expected thing, well that’s a heart issue we have to sort until we are able to give freely and without grudging.  

We will always find three arenas of relationships competing for our focus. 

Requirements we make upon ourselves.

Requirements others put upon us. 

Requirements the Lord assigns.

The only thing actually required is to OBEY HIM.  Where that plays out in everyday circumstances continually demands that He is involved enough in our daily routine that we are being led by Him only. 1 Peter 2:9 from the Message Bible, “Life is a journey best travelled with a deep conscience of God.”  We follow after Peace.  We are vitally united to the Prince of Peace and our ways our filled with the fruit of peace.  

This Christmas, and all year, we can live from our Spirits as they are directed by Him enjoying His peace that passes all understanding.  We can give freely and generously with a peace that comes from oneness with Him, confident we are living and walking out His purposes for the day and being the blessing He lives through. 

Self Preservation

“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”    Acts 20:24 KJV

• But now I count as nothing the sacrifice of my life…  Williams translation
• However, I consider my life worth nothing to me… NIV
• But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus…NLT
• But I make my life neither dear nor any account to myself…  Berean Literal Bible
• But I fear none of these things… Douay-Rheims 

I heard a preacher say recently one of the greatest challenges we face as believers is to rule our internal world.  

Nothing so consistently challenges us as our tendency towards self preservation.  We all carry certain belief systems regarding perceived entitlements in areas we feel something should be coming our way ‘just because’.  

It doesn’t seem to matter that we know this is not the way of Jesus, but yet we still find ways to adapt to this weakness.  May I suggest that the weakness does not reside in our physical, fleshly body, but somewhere in our souls belief system, allowing us to give permission to this fleshly nature and indulge self. 

There are things residing in our hearts and minds we could look at governing this choice to serve self.  I would suggest a foundational one being fear.  We know the only thing that drives out fear is the love of God. Consequently, we are looking at a primary motivation for all our actions of doing to be driven, not by fear, but rather the  constraining Love of God. 

What gave Jesus, Paul, the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11, the ability to move forward in the face of great hardship and obstacle?

Jesus, in the garden, faced with the crucifixion, chose to submit and obey the Fathers will.  Only the love of God could motivate this. 

Paul said in Acts 20:22, “And now behold I am going to Jerusalem constrained by the Spirit not knowing what will happen to me there except the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.  BUT I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, If only I may finish my course and the ministry that I receive rom the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”  

What keeps a man moving forward when faced with that knowledge?  Only the Love of God can compel him.  

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 8 that the churches in Macedonia were being tested by many troubles, and were very poor, but were also filled with abundant joy overflowing in rich generosity.  Paul testified they gave not only what they could afford, but far more and did it of their own free will.  

How were they able to do that?  Paul said they even did more than they had hoped, for, their first action was to give “themselves to the Lord and then to us, just as God wanted them to do.”  While this specifically addresses finances, I think we are all mature enough to understand that how we handle money is simply a reflection of the level of freedom in our hearts. They didn’t have “much” but it wasn’t the amount that was significant it was the heart that was willing.  

With an attachment to the heart of God, to his love working in us, keeping Him first place and others second will hold self serving motivations in check.  

So, heart check; when and where I am asked to go against the grain of self, I must locate the fear which reinforces my desire to stay safe.  All fear is driven by the fear of death.  Self kicks in when I am fearful of losing any quality of life. Yet Jesus said I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly, John 10:10, and If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for Jesus, you will find it, Matthew 10:39.

Let’s keep our lives in proper perspective living while dying daily. 

God is for us ~

If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?  Romans 8:31-32

In todays verses, Paul asks three significant questions that we as believers must understand in order to keep the victory Jesus has brought us through the Fathers great love.  

Paul asks: who accuses, who condemns, and finally, who separates?

We know our greatest enemy is Satan.  He is our adversary.  He goes about seeking whom he may devour and he comes to kill, steal and destroy from every place God has worked to give us abundant life.  We also know that Satan is a liar and the Father of all lies. Jesus said, there is NO truth in Him.  Satan works, whispering continually, words that have the power to separate us from God.  The book of Revelation tells us Satan is the accuser of the brethren.  He works to condemn us through the lies we believe, and once believed those lies ultimately separate us from the Father and once separated by shame, guilt and condemnation-well, Jesus tells us a Kingdom divided cannot stand.  

Our place of blessing lies in the unity we maintain with Him.  That we might be one with the Father as Jesus was.  

Paul wrote, 

• In the place of accusation, Jesus has justified us. Justified,  just as if I’d never sinned.  

• In the place of condemnation, Jesus ever lives to make intercession on our behalf for there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. We are now the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.  

• Who shall separate us from His love?  Absolutely no one, but a lie embraced, believed and adapted to, can do that.  Believing a lie is the place of Satans entry and stronghold in our lives.

If God be for us, and He is, how shall he not with Him freely give us all things.  

Lets keep the devil in His place ~ defeated and under our feet. 

my soul is troubled and distressed and what shall I say?

Now my soul is troubled and distressed and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour of [trial and agony]? But it was for this very purpose that I have come to this hour [that I might undergo it].    

John 12:27 Amplified Bible Classic Edition

How much easier life would be if we understood the purpose of a thing?  If we had understanding, would it enable us to endure to the end?

We know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose and there is no temptation that we find ourselves in that God has not prepared the way of escape through it. 

The remarkable thing is that most of us would prefer to avoid it all together but it is the dynamic of holding fast to Jesus that gives us the ability to walk through anything and become something larger spiritually than we were before.  

Life on this earth is school for us believers.  We come to know our Father.  We learn Jesus and become Christ like. 

God is at work in us, teaching us how to reflect His glory on this earth.  He gives us time and seasons to grow up, to conform to the image of His son and bear much fruit.  He works in us now to prepare us for a greater weight of glory to be revealed at His return.  Setting up His visible Kingdom, we govern then as we are learning to do now.  

We find ourselves in situations that press us and like Jesus, our soul is troubled and distressed.  Unlike Jesus, most of us cry out for deliverance, not understanding instead of committing ourselves to Him who judges righteously. 

Proverbs writes, “Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom and in all your getting —get understanding”.  How much better would we, could we, endure if we had understanding and insight as to the purposes of God being worked in the moment? 

While Satan works to divide us from the oneness with the Father by removing us from the word and our intimate times, it is as we lean into the truth and affirm the realities of our Father, that we are able to stay steady in our storms. God is faithful who will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear.  

Even if we lack the understanding, we are still required to have faith in God, (blind faith if you will) and know that in our weakness He remains our strength.  We can hold onto him and know that every step we take He is leading us into goodness and something is happening in us that is preparing us for that greater weight of glory. 

My soul is troubled and distressed and what shall I say?

Have Faith IN God. Mark 11:22

Oswald Chambers, in the devotional My Utmost for His Highest for October 30 said ,” God brings us into circumstances in order to educate our faith, because the nature of faith is to make its object real. Until we know Jesus, God is a mere abstraction, we can not have faith in Him; “

In other words, every circumstance we find ourselves in CAN teach us about our Father, if we have eyes to see and ears that hear.  Jesus said this is eternal life that we would know him and the Father.  

Faith is not a formula designed to acquire our latest whim, but rather a relationship that expresses our fellowship with our Father.( Heb. 11:6). He who comes to God must believe that he is.  Faith is primarily the belief system that I hold in who God in, thus, Have faith IN God. 

Faith is defined as belief or trust. The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines trust as an assured reliance on the character, ability, strength or truth of someone or something. 

In every circumstance we can learn. The Holy Spirit is teaching, the word is revealing, the nature of God.  He is trustworthy.  

The first temptation we see in the book of Genesis was designed for man to doubt the very integrity of God.  “Has God really said”....., “you won’t die”..... and today nothing has changed in that temptation.  Satan works to blind us to the reality of Gods nature.  In our circumstances the challenge is to remain firmly and vitally connected to Our Father.  Assured, relying, trusting, we are to have faith in God. 

Trust is the fruit of intimacy. The more time I spend getting to know someone the more I learn how and where I can have confidence in their character, strength, abilities, or truth.  A fundamental truth regarding man is that we are all flawed, we fail somewhere in one of these above attributes all the time, BUT GOD IS NOT A MAN.  

Have faith in God means my strongest hope, my strongest confidence can not be in man.  It must be in God and every circumstance gives me opportunity to learn His character, His ability, His strength, His truth 

To have faith in God means:

• I trust His character.  God is love. His mercies never fail.  He is good to all. His faithfulness does not fail.

• I trust His ability, He makes a way where there is no way.  He goes before me and perfects things that concern me.  He is at work in me both to do and to will of His good pleasure.

• I trust His strength for He is the strength of my life.  He is My fortress, my strong tower. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 

• I trust His truth.  God is not a man that he should lie. His word is truth and it is impossible for God to lie. 

We learn to trust God in and through our daily events. We trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not to our own understanding. In all our ways we learn to acknowledge him and he directs our paths. 

We can either settle down and let God rule our lives or continually contend with him fighting to maintain the control.  But when we put God in charge, we commit the event to him, we roll that care off of us, we trust in Him and He will act.  We can either allow God to be the performer or he will allow us to maintain control because of our fear and unbelief.  

Jesus said the work we are to do as His disciples is Believe. We trust His character,

His ability. We trust His strength and we trust His truth which means I have faith in God.

Gird up!

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind — 1 Peter 1:13

The Helps Lexicon from the Discovery Bible shows this phrase “gird up the loins”  as 328 anazōnnymi (from 303/aná, "up to down" and 2224/zōnnymi, "gird, remove slack") – properly, raising up a tunic (= "tightening the belt"), "girding oneself"; (figuratively) getting ready (prepared) to move quickly as someone needs to arrive somewhere without delay (used only in 1 Pet 1:13).– literally "to pull up the belt (tightly)" – is a metaphor about removing mental slack, i.e. eliminating all useless thoughts (bad logic) by "tightening the mind”.

We know Peter is not referring to our clothing but rather a condition of our mind.  Literally a tightening up of our thought processes which involves correcting loose thinking. 

Since man is a three part being; spirit, soul and body, every battle is ultimately fought through the soul.  The born again Spirit of man is always led by the Holy Spirit to righteousness.  The flesh always yields to its peculiar lust of the moment and the soul becomes the deciding vote.  Who will I agree with? Who will I submit to?

Everything we allow into our lives flows from our belief system and our mind sets, which work to permit us to do the things we do. While we are considering our choices, the mind, the will and our emotions are generally leading the way.  Even the most spiritual individual will have to contend with these things as he aligns himself to the will of the Lord.  The “loose thinking” ultimately proves to be the hindrance to our lives of obedience and consequently the blessing of the Lord. 

It becomes vital to know and agree with the word in order to remove the slack in my thinking that had given me license to disobey the prompting of the Holy Spirit, thusdenying the grace that He had brought to me.  Every thought must be taken captive to the obedience of Christ. 

Hebrews 12:1 adds this thought: let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us.… Again from the Helps Lexicon in the Discovery Bible we read regarding 2139 euperístatos (from 2095/eú, "well"; 4012/perí, "all-around"; and 2476/hístēmi, "stand") – properly, well-planted (all-around), describing what is encompassing (encircling), i.e. surrounding, "wholly around"; (figuratively) a serious hindrance that "encircles" (hampers) someone who desperately also needs to advance.—

 2139/euperistatos is used only in Heb 12:1 of "the besetting sin," i.e. the specific problem a particular individual faces (note the Greek definite article, "the").  This sin can be anything that encumbers a person from pleasing God – which may not be something wrong "in and of itself" but is still not of faith. 

Ancient lexicons (Hesychius, Suidas) also describe 2139 (euperístatos) as a "setback from being too easy-going" (i.e. overly tolerant).  Indeed sin quickly results when we are easily "taken in," i.e. over-influenced (easily upset, diverted).] 

If we want to be successful in our spiritual lives and truly walk with God, then we must deal with the “loins of our minds” and “the sin which entangles us”.  If we deliberately allow wrong thinking and wrong believing to continue in our lives, we will find ourselves tripped up or entangled by them, never making full progress of the call. 

Sin is crouching at the door.

If you do well will you not be accepted?  And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door.  Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.  Genesis 4:7

You will recognize this as the conversation God had with Cain following the rejection of the offering he had brought to the Lord.  We learn from the book of Hebrews that Cains brother, Abel, offered “a more acceptable sacrifice” than Cain.   

Cain is jealous and envious of the approval Abel receives and Genesis tells us he is “very angry and his face fell”. 

The Hebrew word angry is properly, to kindle, ignite a fire; (figuratively) "light someone's fuse," "set them off"; burst forth in anger, focusing on the moral "touch point" that sets off the anger (like kindling); what ignites red-hot indignation in a moral dispute ("hot outburst”).

God’s response to Cains fallen countenance shows God’s view of Cains emotions luring him into sin.  Cain is being tempted and God sets a first in scripture for us:  If you do well, you are accepted.  Sin lies in wait for the opportune moment, it lies at the door.  Sin has a desire. Its desire is to you.  It wants to destroy you.  But, you must rule over it. Sin must be dominated.

Satan is the author of sin, just as Jesus is the author of righteousness. 

Sin entered the world through one mans disobedience and righteousness has come through one mans obedience,  

Jesus has forever destroyed the power of sin and sin no longer has dominion over us. 

The phrase “you must rule over it” is properly, to rule, with full administrative control and power; to manage as overlord, reigning over a particular realm (sphere) with immediate dominion; jurisdiction to govern.

 James 1:14 Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire,  Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

There is no temptation that comes our way that God is not faithful to provide a way of escape.  Where sin abounds grace does much more. 

If Cain could have overcome sin, how much more shall we, as new testament believers, delivered from the power of the devil, filled with the Holy Spirit, with grace, wisdom and revelation abounding to us, dominate sin?  

Thanksgiving

Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord.   1 Cor 15:57

Today, as we celebrate thanksgiving, may we be mindful of the foundation we have enabling us to, in everything give thanks.  For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us.  The individual that loses sight of all he or she has been given in Christ, loses a thankful heart.  

Even when circumstances are pleasant, without the awareness of every good and perfect gift coming into our lives by the goodness of God, we would still be unthankful.  If we live in a realm of performance and works, our sense of being owed something diminishes thankfulness. 

On this Holiday, let us hold the awareness that it is because of the love of God and Jesus Christ’s obedience that our lives are richly and abundantly blessed.  For in Him, thanks be to God, we have victory that overcomes in every circumstance.  

David and I pray that the eyes of your understanding are enlightened to see the goodness of God abounding to you each and every day.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Jeanne

Lord I believe ~ Help my Unbelief

Lord I believe, Help my unbelief ~  Mark 9:24

Our scripture this week is from the story of the Father with the epileptic child. We find the story in Matthews gospel chapter 17 as well as Mark 9:14-30. 

This father meets the disciples, whom we know were given power to heal and cast out demons by Jesus.  They had worked and experienced the results.  Now we find them met with a situation that did not respond as they expected.  I imagine they had done everything the way they always had and now it wasn’t working. Ever been there?

In this scenario we see where Jesus addresses three heart conditions; faithless, unbelieving and believing.  Strongs’ Concordance shows this word unbelief to be the negative form for the word faith.  It is defined as distrust. Unbelief is a faith.  Its just in the wrong thing.  In others words, you have something you are rejecting. You won’t reject the promises without holding to some other belief system. So unbelief is faith in the wrong thing.  Its a negative faith.   

You can have faith in cancer’s ability to kill you.  You can have faith in lack.  You can have faith in broken relationships.  You can have faith in sickness.  Unbelief is still faith, it is just faith unto death.  

This fathers cry was, Lord, I believe but help my unbelief.  Could he have been saying ~ I came to you because I believe, but I’ve met some circumstances here with the disciples who are your representatives and I’m now believing that if they can’t do this maybe you can’t either? 

A questioning of God’s ability or His will only serves to remind us that faith in God is waning.  FF Bosworth said, Faith begins where the will of God is known.  Hearing all things are possible to Him who believes is our constant reminder to check our hearts!  Keep our eyes on Him and His promise.  We don’t look at others we look unto Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith.  

So ~  Lord I believe, Help my unbelief.  How is we get to a place of unbelief or confidence in something other than God’s promise?  Simply by looking at; attending to and communicating, all the wrong things.  We feed our faith in whatever we attend to.  Again, unbelief simply a lack of faith, but a negative faith, a believing of the wrong things. 

I want to stir up our pure minds to remembrance with the following scriptures:

• Hosea 4:6 tells us what happens when we are ignorant about the word - when we forget what the word says or when we absolutely reject it - We perish.  
• Romans 10:17 reminds us faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.  
• Proverbs 4:20 Tells us we must attend to the word.  Let it not depart from our sight.  Keep it in the midst of our heart for it is life and health to all our flesh.   

The word of God is our faith food.  Apart from Jesus, who is the word, we can do nothing.  God is a faith God.  Without faith it is impossible to please God.  Webster's’ Dictionary says Impossible means incapable of being.  But the Bible says - no word of God is impossible of fulfillment.  God said the word He speaks goes forth and does exactly what He has decreed.  It does not return void or empty.  Every word of God starts as a seed and bears fruit absolutely dependent on the condition and content of my heart. Hebrews teaches us the children of Israel were unable to enter into the promise of God because they did not mix faith with the word they heard the word.  Can I add here the word they heart from God, but they did have faith in those giants ability to kill them.  

So ~ Lord I believe but help my unbelief. 

The wonderful thing about this father’s cry for help is Jesus’ response.  He rebukes the unclean spirit and raises the boy up.  Above and beyond our “perfection” every ‘I dotted and every T crossed’, is the heart of God to help us.  We must always remember from the Fathers heart ~ He is unwilling for any to perish and simply coming to him, believing He is a rewarder, is enough to be met with mercy and grace to help in our need. 

Delight in His Word ~

His delight in in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.       Psalms 1:2

Meditation is simply a form of focus, what we are giving attention to. The Hebrew word meditate means to speak, or mutter or muse.   Our minds attend to thoughts, words, and feelings on a continual basis.  We are constantly processing data in our souls.  The Psalmist declared his delight was in the law of the Lord with the promise of a fruitful and prosperous life. 

The law held instructions to attain righteousness which in turn enabled people to inherit the blessing of God.  If they did - He did.  The law was, and continues to be, unable to touch the heart of man where all desire flows from.  When we view the word as a system of rules and regulations there will be no delight in; now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due, Romans 4:4.

With a new heart, there is a new hunger.  There is delight and joy from learning and knowing who the Father is and what He delights in.  We are filled with this insatiable hunger to know Him and desire the sincere milk of the word to grow.  

If we meditate daily upon the word, Proverb 6:22 says the word guides us, it watches over us when we sleep and talks to us when we are awake.  It’s the Holy Spirit’s job to bring to our remembrance all things that Jesus has said.

Christianity is not to be drudgery. It is our system of truth that enables each of us to live abundantly in the Kingdom of God. Meditating in the word is suppose to be a delight. Jeremiah declared ~ Your words were found and I did eat them and they became the joy and rejoicing of my heart! Jeremiah 15:16. 

Let us delight in His commands! Let us love them. Let us honor them and let us meditate on His decrees, Psalm 119:47.48, and know that in giving place to His word we are blessed.    

Pursue Love.

35: But love your enemies and be kind and do good [doing favors so that someone derives benefit from them] and lend, expecting and hoping for nothing in return but considering nothing as lost and despairing of no one; and then your recompense (your reward) will be great (rich, strong, intense, and abundant), and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind and charitable and good to the ungrateful and the selfish and wicked. 36 So be merciful (sympathetic, tender, responsive, and compassionate) even as your Father is [all these].

 Luke 6:35-36Amplified Bible

In conducting our Wednesday night bible study from the book of Acts,  I’m struck with the selflessness of a people who are able to live from a place of heart that says “nothing is my own”, Acts 2: 41-47.  I’m mindful of the last days where we are assured of two dynamics taking place; Jesus said, the love of many will grow cold and the Apostle Paul wrote men will be lovers of self .  The Amplified bible adds “utterly self-centered”. Isaiah prophesied darkness would cover the earth and dense darkness the people, but the Lord shall arise upon you and His glory shall be seen on you.  What is the expression of the glory of God, but His overwhelming goodness displayed in acts of mercy. 

If it is the love of God that first teaches us about giving and living from this place of selflessness, it must be the worlds standards that teach us to withhold in a place of self preservation. The proverb declares there is one that has but withholds more than is right and it tends to poverty.  The book of James reminds us it is only as I shut off my heart that I can be unmoved by the need I see. 

In a day and age where we must be known as disciples of Jesus Christ by the love we display, how important is it that we are open handed, willing and generous givers!  This means giving must be in every area of our lives; from our thoughts and words about others to the very actions they motivate.  

Love believes the best. Where I make the willful choice to think the best and speak the best I am able to reflect the goodness and mercy of God.  He does rain upon the just and the unjust.  He is good to ALL.  My growth process in conforming to Christ requires that I hold this value andexpression for my life.  

But love your enemies and be kind and do good [doing favors so that someone derives benefit from them] and lend, expecting and hoping for nothing in return but considering nothing as lost and despairing of no one; and then your recompense (your reward) will be great (rich, strong, intense, and abundant), and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind and charitable and good to the ungrateful and the selfish and wicked. 

36 So be merciful (sympathetic, tender, responsive, and compassionate) even as your Father is [all these].         

  A righteous standard to conform to.

"Lord, save me.”

But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”   Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter…..Matthew 14:30-31

I'm celebrating Peter for stepping out of the boat.  I'm celebrating Peter for trying to follow Jesus' example.  I'm celebrating Peter for learning that Jesus is a Savior and God's mercy will always catch you.  

Fundamental to a healthy relationship with our heavenly Father is an understanding of who He is.  The purpose of Jesus on this earth was not only to redeem mankind but to reveal His Father.  Family is huge to Him.  Belonging and a sense of well being which produce security in us all begins with understanding that He is good, He is good to all, and He is good all the time. 

We must, must, MUST begin to operate from a place of wholeness in our hearts and souls in order to raise a generation holding undaunted confidence in who our Father is and what He has created us and them to be; unstoppable, mountain climbing, overcoming, giant killers!  Fearless in the face of adversity because we are so rooted and grounded in the love of the Father that His goodness to can not be shaken fromour minds. 

From our scripture today, we see this lesson as Peter learns the true nature of not only Jesus but ultimately the nature of the Father.  Jesus was the express image of God and when we see Jesus we see the Father in thought, in word, in action.  

Peter, like all of us, steps out in faith with that innocent trust that He can do what he sees Jesus doing.  As long as he keeps his eyes on Jesus nothing is impossible to Him.  He’s walking on water.  We know this; it is only as Peter takes his eyes off Jesus and begins to look at the circumstances taking place around Him that he is moved by what He sees.  His focus is diverted.  His attention captured and held and the result is fear.  

It is in this very place that He cries to the one He believes can save Him.  Did you ever notice he didn’t holler for the guys in the boat?  Peter is learning some things.  He’s learning Jesus is a very present help in time of need and that’s good.  He’s learning Jesus saves and that’s good.  He’s learning that He imparts wisdom without condemnation, correction with love and that’s not just good it’s great.  

I trust as we all continue our personal journeys that we come to know and believe the love He has for us, experience His goodness and find the safety and security we need to be open hearted and open handed to others just as He is to us.  

The Spirit hovered …

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.    Genesis 1:1

We had a glorious worship time yesterday at Keystone Victoria. I’m always grateful for these times that we are fully engaged and can sense God inhabiting our praises.  It was in this place the Spirit of God began to move and said “this is the place of creativity ~ the Spirit hovers and the word creates”. As I began to meditate on this I was reminded of John 14:26, the Holy Spirit will teach us all things and bring to our remembrance all that Jesus has said.  

Proverbs 8:22 tells us regarding wisdom, “the Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old, ages ago I was set up, at the first before the beginning of the earth when there were no depths I was brought forth… I was beside Him like a master workman and I was daily his delight.”  Proverb 4:7 reminds us wisdom is the principal thing, to get wisdom first and then get understanding.

How do we do this?  By allowing the Holy Spirit to hover, by creating a heart that is receptive to His working.  We don’t resist the Holy Spirit and we don’t grieve the Holy Spirit.  We welcome Him and His work to be done in us.  

When the angel came to Mary with the promise of God, Gabriel said the Holy Spirit will sow the seed. “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the most High will overshadow you.”  Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel was a simple “be it unto me according to your word.” Luke 1:38.  The greatest work we are required to do is just believe. John 6:28,29.  

The Holy Spirit hovers to create. He will deposit wisdom into our hearts and souls.  This word must be received, agreed with and then spoken.  We must learn to create a constant environment for the Holy Spirit to hover over our lives. 

When Jesus was baptized by John, the Bible tells us the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus.  He didn’t just hover, he landed.  The book of Acts tells us when the disciples were waiting on the promise of the Holy Spirit, He came in as a sound of a mighty rushing wind and filled the house.  Acts 2:4. “the divided tongues AS of fire appeared and rested on each one of them”.  

Our lives are to be filled with the presence of God on a continual basis.  He’s not looking for these solo Sunday experiences, as good as they are, He is looking for the ongoing abiding, where His presence is sought and He is able to abide.  

Giving Glory to God

Romans 4:20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God but he grew strong in His faith as he gave glory to God. 

David preached a great word on Sunday which I’ve been reflecting on. He asked the question, “Have you ever wondered how Abraham gave glory to God?”   I think with my North American culture I’ve taken this scripture and fit it with our expression of worship today and made it applicable to my life by my own private worship times as those that give glory to God.  While Im sure they do, David presented a broader thought.

David talked abut the promise God had given to Abram to become a Father of many nations and changing his name to Abraham.  David’s point was ~ in the place of agreeing with God, Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness, Romans 4:3, Abram changed his name.   

Everywhere he went from the point of receiving the promise of God, he was declaring, I am Abraham, the Father of many nations.  Every time he used that name he was agreeing with God.  His declaration of the name Abraham was his worship to God.  

Amos 3:3 asks, how can two walk together unless they be agreed?  Jesus said a Kingdom divided cannot stand.  The blessing of God rests in the place of unity.  Jesus’ prayer is that we are one with the Father.  To be one with the Father requires us to agree with Him.  To agree means to have the same opinion. 

Agreement is essential and our agreement to the promises of God are not only how we receive all salvation, how we inherit the promises but it is also how we give glory to God. Abraham grew strong in faith as he gave glory to God. The more he decreed I am Abraham, the more he was reminded of the promise to be a Father of many nations. You’ll notice it was “Abraham” who believed God, not Abram.

There may be many seemingly dead and impossible situations in our lives, but they are all birthed(Mary conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit sowing seed) or resurrected (God gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist) by simply taking Gods promise as the ultimate truth you hold.

As we believe Him and agree with Him, we are giving glory to Him and it is counted right in the sight of God.  

No distrust made him waiver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 

He sent out his word...... Psalm 107:20

.......and healed them and delivered them from their destruction.

Earlier in this psalm, the writer tells us starting in verse seventeen that “Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction. 

18 They loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.

19. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 

20. He sent out his word and healed them and delivered them from their destruction. 

21. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,  for his wondrous works to the children of man!  

22. And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

I love verse 20 and spend most of my time meditating on that truth. Hebrews 13:6 goes right along with this.  The Lord is my helper ~ boetheia ~ I cry and He runs in response to that cry, which serves to remind me that He has sent out (past tense) his word (which is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus, who is the word made flesh) and healed us and delivered us from destruction.

No matter what circumstance I may be facing there is a word that holds my deliverance.  There is wisdom that flows from the mouth of God. There is no temptation that comes our way, according to 1Cor. 10:13, that God is not faithful to make a way of escape so we are able to bear it.  

The deal is, I’ve got to find the way and Jesus is the Way, the truth and the Life.   My part is to separate myself to find it and hear it.  It starts with the logos, the written word and then moves to the Rhema, the word the Holy Spirit breathes into me, that is MY WORD for MY DELIVERANCE When it comes, my part is to believe it.  This is where most of us stumble.  We don’t take the time to find the word of our deliverance, or if we do find it, we don’t receive it.  James tells us in chapter 1:21 that we must receive the word with meekness so that it gets into our hearts and saves our souls.  We might believe it for a while and if things don’t change, we cast off our confidence in it. 

BUT GOD is not a man that he should lie.  He DOES hasten over His word to perform it. Our one vital necessity is to attend to it and make sure we keep believing it. Having done all to stand, stand. Be stedfast, immoveable. 

Yet in all the greatness of verse 20, the following verses serve to remind us this is the declaration of the one who is receiving, attending and believing the word that has been sent. 

O that men would praise the Lord for His great Love and for the wonderful things he has done for them.  Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and sing joyfully about his glorious acts. 

He has sent out that word. O that men would praise the Lord for His great love and the wonderful things He has done.  He has healed us and delivered us from destruction.  Let us offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and sing joyfully about His glorious acts. 

A good day to check our hearts and establish them with our praises. 

Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly….Psalm 1:1

Walking in the counsel of the ungodly would be walking in any word that stands against the counsel of God.  There isn’t anyone ( or anything) more ungodly than Satan and his lies. He is going to use every voice he can to influence us.  This is why it is absolutely vital that we attend to the word.  We must meditate on it day and night.  We must keep our eyes upon it and our ears hearing it.  Faith can only come by hearing His word. 

Whose report will you believe? We can’t lose sight of the fact the devil is a liar and the Father of all lies.  There is no truth in Him.  Conversely, Jesus is Truth.  His word is truth.  It is impossible for God to lie. His word is alive and powerful.  Paul said the word is the power of salvation, Romans 1:16.   The devil is the accuser of the brethren and Jesus is the redeemer. 

The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and death.  There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ.  We must learn to faithfully and diligently bring every thought captive to truth.  Does the thoughtaccuse?  Does the word condemn?  Those things are not to be allowed into our thinking. Doesthe thought build up?  Doesthe word strengthen?  We meditate day and night on these truths, in His truths.  We pay attention to what God says.  

Faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God. Without giving attention to what God says we are INCAPABLE of receiving every good and perfect gift already given us in Christ. 

Jarius, in Mark chapter 5 has finally got Jesus to move on to his house only to receive the news, ‘…don’t bother Jesus any more, your daughter is dead’.  Jesus, overhearing this,  says to Jarius, “Do not fear. Only believe”. 

Can you imagine how difficult it is in that moment to make the choice to continue to put your trust in Jesus and what he has said? Yet the words eventually spoken by Jesus had enough power in them to raise that child from the dead.  

Jesus understands the natural condition of man.  Always remember He is touched with the feeling of our infirmity.  Whatever weakness we are facing he knows what it’s like to face it. He is moved with compassion and, in the moment, he offers salvation that can only come IF we choose to believe him in the face of an evil report.  He sends out his word and it delivers us from our destruction, Ps. 107:20.  What is your word of deliverance for today?  It is your daily bread.  It is the word that will sustain you as you walk through every temptation that comes to your spirit, soul or body!

Jarius had to overcome the fear that was gripping him.  His mind had to be going crazy with every thought and lie assaulting him. When Jesus said, do no fear, grace was attached.  Johns gospel says grace and truth came by Christ Jesus.  That simply means, that every word that Jesus speaks is not only truth but it is filled with grace and the power to accomplish.  It holds the ability to produce a desired result. It is in seed form and must be received to be sown into a heart of good soil.  

There is enough negativity in this world that you and I must keep our heart and mind filled with the counsel of God and know that we are Blessed, Blessed, Blessed as we give heed to what He is saying and reject the counsel of the ungodly,  We do not stand in the way of sinners.  We do not sit in the seat of the scorner. BUT, our delight is in the law of the Lord and on His law we meditate day and night.  We are like trees planted by streams of water which yield its fruit in its season and our leaf does not wither and all we do prospers. 

Amen.  

John 13:3 NEB ~ During supper, Jesus well aware that the Father had entrusted everything to him and that he had come from God and was going back to God rose from the table….”

Responsibility, accountability and judgment are the three thoughts I have from this verse.  In this context, we find Jesus, knowing(English Standard Version) that the Father had entrusted to Him the redemption of all humanity.   Making a choice, He rises, and through the rest of the gospel, we find Him continually making choices to meet the circumstances laying before Him. Ultimately knowing those choices will end in His death and separation from the Father, while yet believing in His ultimate resurrection and restoration. 

The English definition for the word “entrust” is assign the responsibility for doing

something to (someone).

Jesus lived His entire life mindful of the Divine mission he carried. For example, Luke 4:43 “They came to Him and tried to keep Him from leaving, "But Jesus told them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well, because that is why I was sent.”  From ~ 1 John 3:8 we read, “For this purpose was the son of God manifest….”  And, Hebrews 10:5 we learn “when Christ came into the world he said, … a body have you prepared for me. (7) Behold I have come to do your will, O God as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.”

The Father had entrusted to Jesus everything.  

Somehow, in all of this, we understand Jesus had a choice.  He’s called the second Adam and just like the first failed the obedience test, Jesus too could have opted out of His assignment.  It’s hard to fathom Jesus being judged for disobedience, but if that was not possible, the plan of redemption would not have been complete.  Hebrews points out ‘He was a man tempted like we are, yet without sin.’ 

It’s hard to consider Jesus failing, but it would not have been a valid redemption if He was not capable of choosing self over submission to God.

Jesus’ ministry was met with crowds, followers, disciples, those he loved and those who loved him; praise, criticism, opposition, betrayal, plots to assassinate him and ultimately death and yet none of these things altered His choice to always move forward into the purpose and destiny assigned to Him.

Jesus was a man, NEB in Hebrews 4:15 reads, “one, who because of his likeness to us, has been tested every way, (tested in every way as we are) only without sin.”  

How many times do we excuse ourselves because we do not believe eternity hinges on our choices?  I’ve strongly believed, my entire spiritual adulthood, Mordecai’s warning to Esther; ‘…relief will come; but you and your fathers house will perish.’ (Esther 4:14) Ihave believed there is an ultimate judgment for any known step I refuse to take believing God in His great love will not allow my disobedience to alter His purpose for another.  BUT WHAT IF, my choices really don’t affect me only? What if my choices do impact another's destiny?  Whose salvation may we have neglected in our choices?   Are there, have there been, divine connections we’ve refused to make?

So the questions I bring before all of us today are these; 

What has the Father entrusted to us that eternity does hinge on?  

What has the Father made us responsible for?  

Do we live with an awareness we are accountable for those and that we will be judged for the choices we made (make) regarding them? 

O death where is your Sting?

Brothers we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope. 1 Thess. 4:13

David and I had a conversation with a visiting minister, a few years back, discussing a season we had just come through, with many of our colleagues, through sickness, moving to heaven.  We had fought the good fight alongside of them, we had endured in faith to the end, but ultimately their battle for life was lost. 

In this conversation, the minister stated “the problem with you word of faith people is that you have no theology about death.”  While admitting many might not, David and I heartily disagreed about ourselves and those we were connected with.  Faith is the first and last response required in fighting against the last enemy to be destroyed.  Facing death for ourselves or others is nothing to be apologized nor diminished when it appears the battle is lost, because truthfully it isn’t.  We win Christ, regardless of the outcome. 

As overseers in the body of Christ, our heart is to engage in others battles when called on to support their place of faith.  Encouraging a hope, we hold tightly to our trust in God knowing through Him we overcome.  To Live is Christ but to die is gain. 

Our terminology speaks much to the way we view death and while there is a very natural loss, there is no cessation of life to the spirit of man.  While it is our loss it is another's gain..  It’s a move.  It’s a personal graduation.  It’s a crossing over a finish linethat for a child of God always ends in victory.  Oh death where is your sting, oh grave where is your victory?  Death is the last enemy to be defeated.  Hebrews states in chapter 11 the heroes of faith, ALL died in faith.  They had not received their promise but looked to an eternal reward.  Even so, we understand that the best way to pass from this life into eternity is in faith. Eternal life is the ultimate promise and reward of our life of faith.

Paul wrote, we don’t grieve like those who have no hope, but we do grieve.  Jesus wept.  We do experience a very personal loss.   Loss is not lost, but certainly feels that way. There are so many emotions that an individual goes through it is impossible to set any kind of standard for grieving.  Everyone must find their own way through to the place of rest and peace. Paul’s admonition is that we do not lose sight of the hope we have about heaven and spending eternity in the presence of God.

We weep with those who weep and we allow them to set the standard of processing their loss. We are helpers of their faith, while they find their way through the dark moments.  Words are not always necessary but love demonstrated in acts of kindness are always appreciated. For those who are living in the first few days of separation we can only trust God to bring comfort through the Holy Spirit, assured that we are never alone, never helpless and never abandoned.   

We grieve, but we don’t grieve like those who have no hope because in the alone moments, we move to the God of all hope who fills us with all joy and peace in believing that we might abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Soliders

“Take your share of hardship like a good solider of Christ Jesus.  A soldier on active service will not let himself be involved in civilian affairs; he must be wholly at his commanding officer’s disposal.”  New English Bible ~ 2 Timothy 3:3-5

Hardship is something we all like to avoid, Christian or not. We are all looking for the place in our lives of comfort and ease.  However, to have this place, naturally, in this world is just not possible. We might find moments but nothing lasts.   The ONLY place there is absolute comfort and joy, peace and rest, is in Jesus.  My yoke is easy, my burden is light, come to me and you will find rest for your souls.  He leads by green pastures and quiet waters that restore our soul.  He who waits on the Lord is renewed with times of refreshing in the presence of the Lord.  

Jesus himself said, “In this world you will have tribulation.”  The troubles of life, naturally, will always be with us.  Spiritually, as we join with Christ, we meet opposition aimed at separating us from the Father and His word. 

A man going to battle knows he will not be experiencing the comforts of home.  He has a different mindset.  He must be hardened to difficulties (Isaiah 41:10).  What does this mean?  Every solider is trained to do what he doesn’t want to do, to go further than he feels he can and to remain under authority in adverse circumstances.  If we are hardened to difficulty, the circumstances of life are not shaping us.  They are not directing us.  They are faced, challenged and overcome.   Jesus promises that he that endures to the end shall be saved. If we faint not, if we don’t give up, if we don’t lose heart, we are promised to reap in due season.   

We live in days where lawlessness abounds, the love of many grows cold, men love pleasure rather than God, in the church!  If we take our cues from “others” we fall into the deception that these things are not “to bad”.  Yet we know it just takes “a little” leaven to leaven the whole lump.  The natural man is looking and seeking the place of ease.  Where the natural man finds that acceptable, he will indulge it. 

If we walk after the Spirit we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.  A solider on active service will not let himself be involved in civilian affairs.  What takes us away from His presence and our daily feeding upon him, weakens us.  He is the author and giver of life.  We must have ears that hear, wholly at our commanding officers disposal.  He leads us into paths of righteousness for His name sake.  These paths hold His life and blessing, which is not the same thing as saying they are flat and smooth roads, but as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, we are learning how to march on rocky and rough paths.